‘House is on fire’ – Tokyo Sexwale says he will help ANC by putting out flames before elections

Former Gauteng premier and businessman, Tokyo Sexwale, says the African National Congress (ANC) is under siege and expressed his commitment to aiding the governing party in “putting out the flames”.

Sexwale conducted a door-to-door campaign for the ANC on Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming national and provincial elections.

South Africa will head to the polls on 29 May, with this year’s election expected to be fiercely contested.

The ANC has been projected to dip below 50% and could force the party into a coalition at national level for the first time after 30 years of being in power.

ANC election campaign

Speaking to the media alongside ANC Gauteng leaders in Katlehong, Sexwale highlighted that the party’s presence in the area was not intended to undermine any other party through negative campaigning.

“We are here to campaign for the ANC, do not decampaign any political party. We are here also to decampaign poverty, lack of water for the people; we are here to decampaign potholes,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

The ANC veteran said things have happened in the ANC in the past that have made party officials “unhappy”, hence the party has vowed to renew itself.

“We want to renew the ANC and reconstruct the country by putting people who understand the requirements of the basic policies of the ANC. [We want] people who will be sensitive to the demands of our people at local, provincial and national level.

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“When your father’s house is on fire, you don’t ask what’s happening, you take the buckets and join others and we douse the flames; then we can talk later about what caused the fire. When you are a soldier in the trenches as Chris Hani was [and] when there are problems inside your family, they can wait because the house is on fire.”

Sexwale on ANC renewal

Sexwale insisted that the ANC’s momentum remained intact, saying the party’s effectiveness has not diminished.

“The wheels have not fallen off. The screws are lose, but this vehicle of the ANC is still on. That’s why we are here. Our people still have a belief in what the ANC achieved with and for them.”

The former human settlements minister further acknowledged that the ANC has “shortcomings” and has made “mistakes” in the past, but stressed that there was no need to look back.

“We are going to have to be honest with ourselves and look at where we have made mistakes, but today we are not here for that. The ANC will have time to discuss its own processes of renewal. We are here to talk to the people.

“We are unafraid and we own up to our shortcomings and we look forward. It is unproductive for people to look back over their shoulders.”

He added: “Where we have to give assurances is how to fix things within the ANC and consequently to rectify things in society.”

DA flag ad

Sexwale also commented on the election campaign advert of the Democratic Alliance (DA) showing the burning of a South African flag, which has drawn criticism from the public – including former public protector Thuli Madonsela.

“Once you attack the flag of the country, once you burn it whether physically or on social media then you are no longer a patriot. You are now insulting the people.”

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He said the flag represented the blood shed during the fight against apartheid.

“That’s the red part of the flag. Anybody who denigrates that flag, anybody who disrespects that flag is disrespecting our people.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa has labelled the DA’s ad as “treasonous” and “totally unacceptable”.